With only two games set to go off before 7:05 pm EST, we are going to review just the late slate for today's games. If you are playing in the early games, good luck. Our research indicates that the fewer the games are in a tournament or cash game, the more luck plays into DFS games. Below are my DraftKings picks for Wednesday, August 26th, 2015. As always, remember to check your players to make sure they are in their MLB starting lineups before lineups lock.

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Game Notes

• The only cities that figure to see some light rain tonight feature domes to host their baseball respective baseball team. Domes are really stupid, but they will ensure every go starts without a hitch tonight. That being said, it is still late August and there remains the potential for a summer storm to swing in and out. Looking at you Cleveland.
• Studs with a capital ‘S’ are on the mound tonight. Chris Sale, Chris Archer, David Price and Johnny Cueto all go. Two of those guys (Sale and Archer) I really like tonight, while Price and Cueto have deceivingly tough matchups against the Rangers and Orioles, respectively.
• Obvious stacking strategies tonight include the Blue Jays versus Colby Lewis, the Mets against Jerad Eickhoff, and the Dodgers facing David Holmberg. Of the three, the Dodgers have the best matchup in the friendliest of hitter parks, but most of the solid matchups aren’t cheap.
• If you’re looking for a sleeper, high risk/high reward team to stack, why not the Phillies? Ryan Howard at $3,600 owns the highest price tag of any hitter on the team. That is rather low for a team that has scored 44 runs over their last eight games, coming to an average of 5.5 runs/game. They stack up against Bartolo Colon who appears to be on the downside. Colon has given up at least four earned runs in four of his last seven starts. During that span, he has allowed 27 ER in his last 40 IP with 23 K and eight homeruns allowed. Stacking the Phillies is contrarian and a great tournament play.
• Be careful with the mid-tier options at pitcher. Guys like Tyson Ross and John Lackey are due to give up some homeruns.
• In a weird turn of events, it actually makes more sense for Wednesday night’s games to go cheap at the power corner infield positions.

 

DFS Pitchers to Consider for DraftKings

The Chris Factor

Chris Sale, CWS - $13,000 & Chris Archer, TB - $12,800

Chris Narveson will not be on any type of list here, but instead the other two “Chris-es” making starts today should be deeply considered for every DFS lineup. Sale’s 33.6% K rate and Archer’s 30.6% K rate places them at first and third, respectively, among all starters in the league. Both the White Sox against the Red Sox and the Rays hosting the Twins are large home favorites and should both see wins. Both of these guys deserve serious consideration for at least one- and if you can fit both, more power to you- of the starting pitcher positions. Sale gets an ever-so-slighter nod because of his insanely high strikeout potential.

Justin Verlander, DET - $8,200

Verlander makes for a solid second option in tournaments as he gets an Angels that has struggled offensively since the All Star Break. Speaking of that ASB, Verlander has looked solid since, with a 6:1 K:BB ratio. It appears he is beginning to return to form and his Tigers should be the Vegas favorites entering the game.

Jake Peavy, SF - $6,400

Looking for a cheap tournament option at the second pitcher position? Why not take a chance on Peavy. Sure the Cubs have won 21 of 25, but that just means that they are due to lose if you subscribe to the law of averages theory. The Cubs are still first in the NL at striking out against right-handed pitchers while Peavy’s FIP drops to 3.69 when at home.

 

DFS Catchers to Consider for DraftKings

Travis d’Arnaud, NYM - $4,800

It seems like everyone on the Mets is hitting these days. That’s especially the case with d’Arnaud, who will come in to Wednesday’s matchup with Eickhoff with a blistering .432 wOBA and wRC+ of 183 over the last two weeks. However, with a price tag that high, he will need to rip off a couple homeruns in order to make up in other positions, so it’s best to stay away from him if you need cap space.

Derek Norris, SD - $2,900

I like Norris at the catcher spot a bit more. He will face Gio Gonzalez and has a wee bit of success against the veteran lefty- two home runs and six RBI in two career at bats. That’s an extremely small sample size, but a 100% HR rate. Norris owns a .335 wOBA against LHPs this season. Although he appears to be back healthy, he has missed time sporadically over the last 10 days due to injury. As always, check the lineups pregame.

 

DFS Infielders to Consider for DraftKings

FIRST BASE

Miguel Cabrera, DET - $5,500

You get what you pay for.

Ryan Howard, PHI - $3,600

In 54 home games this season, Howard has 11 HR and 39 RBI on the season. Ten of those homers have come against right-handed pitchers. The advanced numbers are even more staggering. His home woBA when facing righties is a stellar .390, leading to a wRC+ of 149. Add in the above information on Colon and you can see why I love Howard tonight.

Michael Morse, PIT- $2,500

Morse is nothing more than a flier in a tournament. Even still, if you only have $2,500 left to spend at first base, then he is 100% your guy. He should get the platoon start tonight for the Pirates against lefty Chris Narveson. In eight career at bats, Morse has a .750 AVG with three homeruns and eight RBI.  

 

SECOND BASE

Jason Kipnis, CLE - $4,200

I tried to think of a reason to not select Kipnis, but I could not find one. The dude is just a DFS monster against right-handed pitching. He always bats lead off and is coming off some fine performances.

Wilmer Flores, NYM - $4,000

Flores is on f-f-f-fire. White hot fire. He has been crushing lefties, righties, and everything in between. With Flores, though, it is very possible that he is on the back end of a hot streak, so his price may be not worth the headache he is capable of giving tonight.

 

SHORTSTOP

Jimmy Rollins, LAD - $3,300

For Flores, see above. As for Rollins, he should be hitting out of the leadoff spot against a right-handed pitcher and you know I love me some leadoff hitters. Rollins has been shaky this year with his warning track power. That warning track power will work to his advantage in the sandbox of Cincinnati. The Dodgers should score a ton of runs off of Holmberg, but they have been amongst the most frustrating teams on the year.

Andres Blanco, PHI - $2,300

First, let me start off the Blanco segment by announcing to the world that I have an addiction to looking hard at guys who come in at prices like this. Second, this guy MUST get a long, long look in any lineup. In his last 42 plate appearances, Blanco owns a .395/.452/.737 slash line, a .501 wOBA and a wRC+ of 225. That is absurd. Absolutely absurd. He is better at home against lefties rather than righties, but Colon has been so shaky the last few weeks that it is nearly impossible to avoid Blanco.

 

THIRD BASE

Todd Frazier, CIN - $4,400

Most would agree that Frazier has succumbed to the Home Run Derby jinx that apparently affects winners. I don’t believe in jinxes. Well, at least most jinxes. At this price, Frazier offers phenomenal value and he is the definition of home field advantage. He has 16 HR in Great American Ballpark this year, 12 of which have come against left-handed pitchers. Look for more of the same against lefty Brett Anderson.

Andres Blanco, PHI - $2,300

See above. Fit him into your lineup somehow.

 

DFS Outfielders to Consider for DraftKings

Bryce Harper, WAS - $5,100

It seems like it has been awhile since Harper went yard. He owns pretty good splits against Padres starter Tyson Ross, albeit in a small sample size, and will play in a park that plays very well for hitters in the sweltering month of August.

Cameron Maybin, ATL - $4,400

Maybin gets the juicy platoon advantage tonight against Rockies starter Yohan Flande. Though he has been streaky at times, it appears Maybin is on the brink of another hot streak that could last up to another week or so. He has a nice power/speed combo and will hit high in the lineup. Flande shouldn’t scare anyone.

Matt Kemp, SD - $3,800 & Justin Upton, SD - $3,700

The mini-stack of Padres outfielders is a deceptively solid and cheap option for Wednesday evening. Upton has hit left-handed pitching hard for his career (.380 wOBA, 136 wRC+) and has owned Gonzalez (3 HR in 16 AB) since his playing days in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Kemp has started to heat up with a .364 AVG over the last two weeks.

 

DFS Q&A with Max Petrie @ 6 PM on 8/26

Leave your question here and then come back at 6 PM when Max answers everything. For our regular MLB & Fantasy Baseball Chat, click here.